Teen and Adult Programs

Historical Program in Medieval Swordsmanship - Introductory Course

Starts June 17 and runs until July 24 (no class July 3)
Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6 to 7 pm
Register through Lane Community College

Our Medieval Program for adults and teens is an introduction to the two-handed longsword techniques of the 15th century Northern Italian Master, Fiore dei Liberi. Students will learn basic techniques of longsword play, including guards, strikes, parries, and counters. Course also includes basic elements of abrazare (grappling techniques) and dagger play. Class includes solo and paired drills. As Fiore states in the introduction to his treatise, he spent 40 years learning the arts of combat from the greatest masters and swordsmen of Italy and Germany, and he synthesized his teaching into a remarkable book, the early 15th century manuscript “Fior di Bataglia” (Flower of Battle). This manuscript survives today in three copies, usually named after the collections which house them: the Pissani-Dossi copy (Flos Duellatorum), the Getty-Ludwig copy (Fior di Bataglia) , and the Pierpoint-Morgan (Fior di Bataglia). This course will be based on the concepts as found in the Pissani-Dossi and Getty-Ludwig copies.

We provide masks, gloves, training daggers and swords at the beginning level. Over time, students are expected to purchase their own equipment. We can assist in making appropriate selections from reputable vendors.

All students should wear black sweatpants, as free from distracting logos as possible, and a clean white t-shirt, also free of logos. The only exception is the school t-shirt, which has our compass & swords logo screened on. These t-shirts are optional and are available for sale.

Historical Program in Medieval Swordsmanship - Intermediate and Advanced Courses

Ongoing Class
Mondays and Wednesdays from 7 to 9 pm

A continuation of the Introductory class, with additional skills and an emphasis on tactical sparring drills. Polearms and armored combat techniques are added to this class. Class also includes sword & buckler work based on the methods from the Anonymous Manuscript I.33, the world's oldest known fencing text. Students are expected to begin purchasing their own equipment.

Adult & Teen Program in Foil, Epée and Sabre

Starts June 5 and runs until July 24 (no class July 3)
Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7:15 to 8:45

Our program for adults and teens begins with instruction in the use of the foil, which was used in the 19th century as the training weapon for the duelling sword. It is with the foil that the student first learns proper form, blade handling skills, control of tempo and measure, as well as strategic and tactical skills. The foil is referred to as a "conventional" weapon, because it is fought according to a specific ruleset that limits the target area and prioritizes actions in a specific way (see Right of Way in Foil Fencing). These conventional rules are also used when fencing sabre, a weapon that adds cutting attacks to the use of the point. The epée, a thrusting weapon like the foil, does not observe these conventions, though the fencer trained in their proper use enjoys a tactical and strategic advantage when fencing.

We use the Classical Instructional Method, a traditional European system created for the complete physical and mental training of a fencer, and still used in the best European Academies. This method relies on skill progressions developed over time, and runs in parallel with the development of the student's understanding of tempo, measure, and the tactical applications of the techniques learned. Skills learned include a proper guard position, advance, retreat, and lunge, followed by simple attacks and parry-ripostes, compound attacks and compound parries, actions on the blade, actions in time, and counterattacks. These skills are developed over time, with in-depth instruction and continued practice: there are no shortcuts to skill-building! Each class includes warm-up exercises and stretching routines to develop flexibility and suppleness, and to encourage sensible exercise techniques.

We provide masks, jackets and foils, epees and sabres at the beginning level. All students should wear white or light gray sweatpants, as free from distracting logos as possible, and a clean white t-shirt, also free of logos. The only exception is the school t-shirt, which has our compass & swords logo screened on. These t-shirts are optional and are available for sale.

Basic tennis shoes or basketball shoes are just fine, but please: no wheelie-shoes or shoes with lights! The former are unsafe for fencing and the latter are distracting.

We also offer foils, masks, jackets and fencing pants for sale, or we can recommend several on-line fencing vendors. Over time, students are expected to purchase their own equipment.

Contact:

541-221-1695